Learn more about these direct mail fundraising trends to refresh your next campaign.

3 Impactful Direct Mail Fundraising Trends for Nonprofits

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As a nonprofit professional, you know that there are always new nonprofit marketing trends emerging. As the world of technology, social media apps, and influencers continues to evolve, these trends can take flight faster than ever.

While it’s easy to name the three new marketing trends you noticed on TikTok or Instagram this week, trends in more traditional marketing channels might not be at the top of your mind. But, keeping up with new trends and fresh ideas is necessary for every communication channel. By changing up pieces of your direct mail fundraising strategy, you can reduce donor fatigue and burnout.

These trends can help your nonprofit engage its existing donors and boost retention by creating a highly personal touchpoint that reflects donors’ values and preferences—like a passion for sustainability, for example. In this guide, we’ll explore three strategies you can use to put a new spin on your existing direct mail program.

1. Personalization.

One of the hallmarks of direct mail fundraising is its personal nature. Donors tend to feel more connected to your nonprofit when they are greeted by name through a tangible message that arrives in their mailbox. While social media posts and email messages could get lost in the crowded digital shuffle, direct mail gives each recipient something to hang on their fridge as a reminder to donate, volunteer, or attend fundraising events.

As technology and data analytics evolve, more nonprofits can add personalized elements to their direct mail. Here are some simple ways to make your direct mail campaigns more personal:

  • Greet donors by name. Move away from generic greetings and use an individualized approach by using the donor’s name. Because this greeting is one of the first things donors will notice about your direct mail, it sets the tone for a more personal message.
  • Highlight the donor’s impact. Pursuant’s guide to direct mail fundraising highlights the opportunity to personalize your messages by incorporating stories about your nonprofit and its beneficiaries that align with the donor’s interests. Make sure to highlight the specific ways their past and future contributions impact your cause.
  • Consider donor levels. When you segment your donors by their giving level, you can create custom campaigns for each group. Your donors have varying giving capacities, and it’s important to ensure you’re asking for the proper amount from them. This can keep you from leaving funds on the table or requesting an amount that makes donors uncomfortable.

Since pieces of direct mail tend to be direct with minimal copy, your nonprofit can personalize them further by including QR codes for digital resources the donor would be interested in.

For example, you can segment new donors and send them direct mail with codes to an online welcome packet that gives them more information about your organization, programs, and cause. This is an effective way to integrate your direct mail and digital marketing strategies to increase touchpoints with donors.

2. Analyzing data.

With the rapid progress made in the world of tech and data, innovations like artificial intelligence are paving the way for new ways to market and fundraise. Data analytics tools are more commonplace and are widely accessible to nonprofits of all sizes. More and more organizations are able to leverage data analytics to get the most out of their marketing efforts, including their direct mail fundraising campaigns.

Because you need donor data to personalize communications, you might already be familiar with using data analytics to improve your marketing efforts. But, you can also use data to track and boost your direct mail fundraising progress.

Your organization can use data analytics to benefit your campaigns by:

  • Tracking response rates to understand how relevant and engaging your direct mail is to donors.
  • Determining the best times to send direct mail based on past campaign performance.
  • Performing A/B testing to understand which appeals, trends, and strategies generate the most donor engagement.
  • Referencing donors’ past involvement (like attending a volunteer event) and philanthropic interests in messages.
  • Tailoring solicitations to donors based on factors like discretionary income, giving affinity, capacity to give, and more.
  • Prioritizing fundraising and marketing efforts by measuring donors’ predicted lifetime value (their average annual donation total multiplied by the number of years they will contribute).

Leveraging this data can help your nonprofit measure its marketing ROI more accurately. With these concrete numbers, you can better define success, set realistic yet ambitious goals, and identify ways to maximize efficiency.

3. A focus on sustainability.

Across all industries, there has been a shift toward more sustainable practices. People are discussing the importance of sustainability more often, consumers and supporters are holding organizations and businesses accountable, and sustainable practices (like recycling and net-zero energy) are being normalized.

Your nonprofit can participate in this important change in many ways. For example, you might opt to use more sustainable fundraising ideas, like the shoe drive or tree planting day listed in Double the Donation’s list of fundraising ideas. On the other hand, you can also streamline your operations to limit waste, especially for things like print marketing which can contribute to paper waste.

Here are a few ways you can follow this trend toward sustainability:

  • Use recycled materials. Recycled paper is often cheaper than non-recycled, and most people can’t tell the difference. Plus, recycled paper can help limit deforestation and conserve important resources like water and fuel.
  • Reduce waste. With a focus on data, your nonprofit can better target donors who will engage with direct mail and respond by taking action. You can save time, resources, and money on printed goods by sending them out to donors who show interest in engaging with mail.
  • Supplement efforts with digital channels. Your nonprofit doesn’t need to replace its direct mail fundraising efforts with a digital approach, but you can offer digital alternatives to supplement the strategy. Invite donors to subscribe to your digital newsletter, donate online, and view long-form content (like annual reports) on your website rather than via direct mail.

Many organizations switched to using postcard mailers. Postcards are very small and don’t require an envelope, reducing waste while saving your organization money. Making small adjustments like this, along with creative collaboration between your marketing and fundraising teams, can lead to more sustainable practices and extra wiggle room in your budget.

While direct mail fundraising has been around for decades, it’s important to remain up-to-date on trends and maintain a fresh, modern approach. By keeping up with new nonprofit marketing and advertising trends, your organization is more likely to meet donors’ needs and preferences, compete with what’s in their mailbox, and motivate them to take action in support of your cause.

In this post, we’ll cover some do’s and don’ts of planning legendary charity events.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Planning a Legendary Charity Event

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Whether your nonprofit is preparing to host its annual gala or a one-off virtual game night, you likely have specific goals you want to reach, such as raising a certain amount of money, securing a particular number of new sponsors, or increasing your average attendance rate.

These goals are important, especially when you consider the investment of time, energy, and money that your nonprofit has to make for big events to happen. But what about leaving a lasting impression on your attendees, and providing them with a memorable experience that they’ll be talking about for years to come? In other words, how can you take your charity events to the next level, and make them legendary?

The answer lies in careful event planning. With the right approach to planning your nonprofit’s next event, you can ensure that you’ll meet all of your goals, and put together an occasion that your supporters won’t soon forget. To fine-tune your event planning strategy to this end, follow these do’s and don’ts:

As you review these do’s and don’ts and consider how you can take your events to new heights, remember that you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. An experienced charity event planning and production company can help you manage the many moving parts of your event, and give you the time and headspace needed to focus on making your attendee experience a legendary one.

Do pick an event idea that will wow your audience.

One great way to freshen up your event planning strategy is to pick a unique event idea you’ve never done before. As you consider the many different types of events there are to choose from, consider what you know about your nonprofit’s audience and select an idea that will resonate with them.

Here are some of the top fundraising ideas from Best Fundraising Ideas for you to consider:

  • Paint and Sip: This is a relaxing fundraiser that involves getting your supporters together to enjoy drinks and an evening of painting. Consider asking a local artist or art teacher to lead a painting class, and to offer tips and techniques to participants.
  • Car Show: Invite classic car owners to assemble for a car show. Your supporters can browse the collection of cars, enter giveaways, and purchase food from food trucks. For certain demographics, this idea can prove to be incredibly successful.
  • Talent Show: Tap into your community’s talents by hosting a talent show. Set up your show in an interesting venue, and recruit some of your board members or notable community members to act as judges. Make sure to offer an exciting prize for the winning act, like a trophy or gift basket.
  • Night at the Museum: If your organization runs a museum or can partner with one, try hosting an all-night event where attendees can explore the museum exhibits after hours. Allow attendees to hear from museum experts, admire the works around them,  and enjoy good food with great company.

Of course, sometimes you’ll need to stick with event ideas you’ve been using for years. For example, you may have an annual winter ball or gala that is an established tradition in your community. To generate more interest, and to ensure your team is approaching the planning stage in a different way, you can always put a fresh twist on an already-established event.

For example, don’t overlook opportunities to transform your event into a virtual occasion. According to CharityBids’ guide to virtual charity events, these events allow for a flexible experience, help your organization save money, empower you to try new methods of raising money, and can even give you the chance to tap into exclusive experiences like celebrity appearances.

Don’t put off assembling an event planning committee.

To effectively plan and execute your event, you’ll need to create a planning committee made up of individuals who are committed to their responsibilities and to making your event the best it can be.

Here are the roles you’ll need to fill, along with their responsibilities:

  • Committee Chair: The chair will be in charge of communicating with your nonprofit’s leadership about the event, and ensuring the team is adhering to the budget. They’ll also ensure that all other individuals on the committee feel supported in completing their duties ahead of the event.
  • Event Designer: The event designer or planner, will handle all of the event details, including the venue, catering, decor, and entertainment. They’ll also be responsible for securing any necessary liquor or games of chance licenses for the big day.
  • Sponsorships Coordinator: A sponsorships coordinator is tasked with creating and maintaining relationships with event sponsors like local businesses or restaurants. One of the most important things they’ll do is ensure that your sponsors receive the benefits your organization promises them in return for sponsoring your event.
  • Communications Manager: This individual will lead the charge of marketing your event. They’ll guide the rest of your team in how to get the word out to the public and will inform the media about it if necessary.
  • Volunteer Coordinator: The volunteer coordinator will be responsible for recruiting volunteers for the event, training them in their roles, and managing the volunteer team  during the event.

If your event will involve an auction, you may also need to recruit an auction item procurement specialist. They’ll be responsible for identifying auction items, managing relationships with the donors of the items, and gathering the items ahead of the big event. This is a big job, so in some instances, you may need a whole team of procurement specialists.

Do recruit volunteers.

Most often, nonprofits are most concerned about engaging donors during their events, but volunteers are a critical part of the event equation, too. Not only can your event run more smoothly with more hands to help, but your organization can also strengthen relationships with its volunteers by offering them fulfilling opportunities to get involved with the event.

As you recruit volunteers for your event, take what you know about your existing volunteers into consideration, and try to match them with roles that will resonate with their interests and skill sets. For example, if you know one volunteer has great graphic design skills, you might ask them to help you create virtual event invitations.

For volunteers who are signing up to work for your organization for the first time, take the time before and during the event to get to know them, chat about your mission, and ensure they’re comfortable performing their duties. Their experience volunteering during the event will play a big role in whether they return for another volunteer opportunity in the future!

Don’t neglect your follow-up activities.

Once your event is over, it can be tempting to move on to planning your next campaign or project. But if you really want to make a great impression on your event attendees, you’ll ensure that you perform follow-up tasks before you do.

As you plan your event, consider how you’ll reach out to your event attendees, volunteers, and sponsors to thank them for their time and contributions after the event is over. Doing so will help you have a plan in place to get started right after your event ends! Here are some popular options:

  • Traditional thank-you letters
  • Social media shout-outs and/or messages
  • Thank-you videos
  • Small gifts (like your nonprofit’s branded merchandise)

You should also let the larger community know how your event went. For example, you might post about your event on your blog, share pictures from the event on social media, or give an event recap in the next edition of your newsletter. This will show your community how your events are tied to your larger cause, and can encourage more people to attend your next event!

When it comes to nonprofit events, there’s no need to settle for good or great. You can make your next event legendary by approaching the planning process with care. Use these do’s and don’ts to make sure your next event will be one for the books!